Uses for pine resin?

[Dirac]

I went out today and had a look for pine nuts, but found that without an axe I couldn't get at them any sense. What I did find however is this:

It's the snapped end of a massive limb that had broken off of an even bigger main trunk. I'm pretty sure it's Douglas fur, or Scots Pine. What you can see is the resin (I think). The white stuff literally looks like candle wax...is that nature hinting something to me?!

Are there any uses for this, what sorts of things can I do with it? I had noticed the wood shards that come from the heartwood lights easily with a match; so I'm thinking it would be a god addition to my tinder collection.
Thanks

 

[21st century pict]

I’ve been collecting the stuff for some time now, any type of hard resin that is, and got a couple of ideas, a bit of the wall, nothing practical but, the clean stuff I was intending trying to make an amber type fossil slow cooked in the sand at the bottom of a fire in a big goose egg shell, keep it hot for a bit just to let any impurities float to the top, and a large flat bit with a dead bug in it if i can get it to run clear, The rest of the ok stuff I will put in a birch bark tinder box tube role thing, seal the whole tube and double dip the ends with the resin and just burn the lot as and when required. Some of the old dirty stuff I was just intending using up in a large torch, just to see how bright or how long it burns and see if it keeps away the midges.
I’m pretty sure that it would have fairly similar thermoplastic properties to birch tar?

 

[wildranger]

There's many uses for pine resin - Can be mixed with powdered charcoal to produce pine pitch (which itself has numerous applications). It can be used to make small candles. It can be used as a glue. You can douse any material with liquid resin and it'll burn brightly for ages. It's great stuff

 

[Grooveski]

Used the last dod to seal up the bindings on some whittled hooks.

 

[NikolaTesla]

Mayasticks are what the shelf name are, you can use it for firelighting, waterproofing, glue, all I know of right now, the needles are also nice in tea.

 

[Dirac]

the needles are also nice in tea.

I wanted to try this, but have read that the Douglas Pine/Fur is not good for you. I wasn't sure at the time if I was looking at a Scots pine or not...

 

[NikolaTesla]

I wanted to try this, but have read that the Douglas Pine/Fur is not good for you. I wasn't sure at the time if I was looking at a Scots pine or not...

Douglas fir I do not think you can use the needles in tea.

But Scots pine is good for you alot of vitamin C, but don't drink it everyday, and also pregnant women cannot drink it. I've tried it, if you cannot identify it, and mistake it for something stupid like Yew, just try nettle tea, and can't mistake that, make sure it can sting you, then obviously it's nettles.

 

[Chiseller]

For a tempory tooth filling. Not certain which pine is suitable....but its one of them.

 

[Dirac]

Douglas fir I do not think you can use the needles in tea.

But Scots pine is good for you alot of vitamin C, but don't drink it everyday, and also pregnant women cannot drink it. I've tried it, if you cannot identify it, and mistake it for something stupid like Yew, just try nettle tea, and can't mistake that, make sure it can sting you, then obviously it's nettles.

Luckily I know what Yew looks like as it used to be my favorite plant/tree/bush when I was a kid; everything about Yew seems poisonous. Cheers for the advice!

 

[NikolaTesla]

Luckily I know what Yew looks like as it used to be my favorite plant/tree/bush when I was a kid; everything about Yew seems poisonous. Cheers for the advice!

You can actually eat the arils (red berry looking things) of a Yew tree, just I wouldn't as the whole tree is deadly. My favourite tree is the Scots Pine, or Silver Birch, both have many uses...

 

[Dirac]

oh really? I read that they are pretty bad for you: http://www.countrylovers.co.uk/wfs/wfsberries.htm
but on further inspection it's the seed that is...
We don't get many birch trees down in the south here (except in peoples gardens haha), but I've been using the bark for tinder, it's amazing. I want to have a go at tapping one for the sap.

 

[NikolaTesla]

oh really? I read that they are pretty bad for you: http://www.countrylovers.co.uk/wfs/wfsberries.htm
but on further inspection it's the seed that is...
We don't get many birch trees down in the south here (except in peoples gardens haha), but I've been using the bark for tinder, it's amazing. I want to have a go at tapping one for the sap.

Yes I'll be checking if sap is rising soon, a good date is my brothers birthday 17 march

 

[hedgerowpete]

can i just mention as a spoil sport that yes you can eat the FLESH OF THE YEW BERRY but to spoil every thing can i just mention that i use THE SEEDS AS A DEADLY TOXIC RAT POSION. yew seeds are one of the worst things going they are up there with water drop wort. one seed is more than enough to drop a rat and i will work out whats in them in a minute as the wife is looking for my posions books


here we go all parts of yew have alkaloids except the berry flesh, seeds are only toxic when chewed or damaged.


now thats over pine needle tea is lovely but my fav is nettle or wild garlic, i have a garlic thing going on, sorry

 

[capt.dunc]

going back to the start, if you lightly roast your pine cones you can sometimes make them open up a bit and get the nuts out, but they're hard going for little return. of course if you're sitting by the fire on an evening, with time on your hands then give them a go.

 

[wildranger]

I'm pretty sure that douglas fir needle tea is no more toxic than spruce or pine needle tea contrary to what people have said in this thread.

Those are some nice hooks Grooveski, have you caught anything with them? Is that a bone, wooden splint or a thorn that you attached?

 

[Grooveski]

Those are some nice hooks Grooveski, have you caught anything with them? Is that a bone, wooden splint or a thorn that you attached?

To be honest when I moved house it all ended up forgotton about in a box somewhere.
..until now. Must dig it out and crack on.

I put up some better pics and info as I was making them.
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=60486

 

[Compo Semite]

pine resin is good stuff. its full of natural sugars and has a strong antiseptic quality. Believe it not its actually quite pleasant to chew on once you get used to the flavour...